


Moon Over Miami

by Joe_Reaves



Series: Moon Over Miami [3]
Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Historical, Angst, Betrayal, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Murder, Torture, Violence, moresome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-14
Updated: 2010-04-14
Packaged: 2017-10-08 23:04:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/80422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Can the Caine clan keep its business alive in the midst of Prohibition, a measles outbreak, and betrayal, and keep a step ahead of the police?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moon Over Miami

_Miami docks, 1928._

The full moon illuminated the docks. A classy looking boat was docked at one of the slips. Next to it were parked a smart Lincoln town car and a Ford truck. Two men in suits got out of the car and walked towards the boat. One was tall and slim, in an expensive tailored suit, with a shock of unforgettable red hair. The other was smaller and not as well built and his suit was slightly baggy, if you looked closely enough. Most people found their eye was drawn by the mean looking gun he carried though and as such they tended to overlook his taste in clothes. Another man climbed out of the truck and leaned casually against the door. He was nearly as tall as the first man but bulkier, with unkempt black hair and a day's growth of beard on his face. He too carried a gun.

The redhead approached the boat and whistled. "Caine, coming in," he called, swinging himself over the rail and onto the deck. A young man came up from below decks, wiping his hands on an oily rag.

"Engine's sprung an oil leak," he said. "Think that should hold it for now." He looked Caine up and down slowly and smiled seductively, "You want to wait downstairs in the cabin while your boys collect the goods?"

"I think Ryan might have a heart attack if I did," Horatio said ruefully. "He's new and kind of naïve. I don't think he's ready to walk in on quite that kind of thing."

"Why Horatio," Eric said with a smile. "All I was offering was a drink."

"Of course you were, Eric," Horatio said. "And if you believe that, I'll tell you another." Turning towards the railing he called out to the two waiting men, "Okay boys, come and collect the merchandise."

Just as they finished loading the earthenware jars into the back of the truck, three police cars raced onto the dock, bells ringing loudly and brakes squealing.

"Damn," Horatio cursed, throwing himself flat on the deck of the boat and drawing his gun. "Get the hell out of here, Tim!"

Speedle fired at the tires of the nearest car, causing it to swerve and run off the edge of the dock. He swung himself into the cab of the truck and sped through the gap he had just created. Horatio began shooting at the cops spilling out of the other two cars, trying to provide cover for his men to escape. Speedle and the smuggled alcohol looked to have made a clean get away, but Ryan had been caught in the open, halfway between the car and the boat. He ran for the car and started shooting back, but it was soon obvious that the car had taken so much damage from the flying bullets that it wasn't going anywhere. Making a run for the boat would have been suicidal at this point, even with Horatio laying down much-needed covering fire. Besides Eric was already gunning the engine of the boat, ready to leave.

"Damn it, Eric," Horatio yelled. "Ryan's still down there. We can't leave without him!"

"Well if you can think of a way to get him into the boat, then I'm all for that, but I'm not letting them seize my boat, just because you've got an over developed hero complex," Eric yelled back. "Face it, H, your boy is going with the cops either in handcuffs or a body bag, but we don't have to go with him."

"Fuck!" Horatio swore. "Drop your weapon, Ryan. I'll be back for you."

_Downtown Miami_

The black truck pulled up behind Calleigh's place and Speed half-leapt, half-fell out of the cab. He banged on the back door and it opened to reveal a slight, blonde woman.

"Oh my Lord, Speed, what happened to you?" she asked.

"Cops. At the pier. We were ambushed. Don't know what happened to the others," he gasped, clutching at the sleeve of his shirt, which Calleigh suddenly realised, was soaked with blood.

"Damn!" she exclaimed. "Let's get you inside." She helped him into the club and sent a couple of her boys out back to bring in the booze. "Alexx! Get down here, Speed's been shot!"

An attractive coloured woman ran down the stairs. "Oh you poor baby!" she said when she saw Speedle. Calleigh was already cutting his shirt off and it was clear that while the wound was bleeding heavily it wasn't life threatening and hadn't done any real damage to the muscles. Alexx examined the wound carefully and then cleaned it out. She wrapped a bandage tightly around it to stop the bleeding.

"I think it should be OK," she said. "I'd be happier if you'd go to the hospital, but I know there's no chance of that. Where are the others?"

"I'm not sure," Speedle admitted. "H was on the boat with Eric so they might have got away – but Ryan was still on the dockside. If he'd managed to get away in the car, he'd have been here by now. H is going to be pissed if they shot up his car and I don't even want to think about what he's going to do if anyone got hurt."

"You got hurt," Calleigh pointed out.

"This is just a scratch," Speedle dismissed. "We're going to have to assume they're in custody until we hear differently. Calleigh call your father and send him to Police HQ. Have him get our boys home if they've been thrown in the cells. I'm going to talk to one of the local cops, see if we have a leak."

_Police HQ_

Ken Duquesne walked into Miami Dade Police HQ and approached the front desk.

"Mike, long time no see!" he said, shaking hands with the desk clerk.

"Duke! How are you man?" the cop asked. "Haven't seen you in court too much lately."

"You know how it goes. Got myself a steady job and a steady client rather than having to scratch a living hanging round this place. I'm working for Mr. Caine now and I heard I might be needed tonight?"

"That's right, picked up one of his employees down on the wharf tonight. Kid goes by the name of Wolfe apparently. I'll have someone take you down to see him. You're going to want to talk to the Lieutenant about whether we're charging him with anything, I assume?" the clerk said.

"That'd be real helpful of you, Mike," Ken said, winking at the young man. "If you see my daughter around later, be sure and tell her I said hi! Tell her I owe you a glass of something cool and refreshing, she'll see you're all right."

Another young officer arrived and showed him down to the cells where Ryan was waiting for him.

"Damn, kid, who'd you piss off?" Ken asked, taking in the young man's unkempt appearance and the bruises already appearing on his wrists and the side of his face.

"It's nothing, Mr. Duquesne, just a friendly disagreement with the cops who busted me," Ryan said. "Are you going to get me out of here?" Ryan looked around to make sure they weren't being overheard and lowered his voice. "What about the boss, Eric and Speed? Did they get away?"

"Speed's been shot, but he's basically fine. I was hoping you could tell me about the other two," Ken said, with a worried frown.

"Last I saw they were heading for open water," Ryan said. "If they're not here and they're not back home, maybe they're waiting for it to be safe to come back into port."

"Hang in there, Ryan," Ken said. "I'm going to have a word with the Lieutenant, see if I can't persuade him to drop the charges and get you out of here."

Ken was shown into an office where a large man in a police uniform was waiting for him.

"Lieutenant Hagan," Ken greeted him. "It's good to see you again."

"If you're here about Caine's man, forget it. He's going down this time and Caine's going down with him," Hagan said.

"Only if you have some evidence I don't know about, Lieutenant," Ken argued. "You have no alcohol, no smuggler and nothing to connect Caine to either even if you did. You also have nothing that says Ryan was doing anything illegal. Mr. Wolfe was merely collecting a delivery of fresh fish for my daughter's restaurant. Since he was already running some errands for Mr. Caine and since Mr. Caine is a partner in the restaurant he decided to kill two birds with one stone and pick the fish up in Mr. Caine's car on his way back into town and if you have anything that says any different I'd like to hear it!"

"You and I both know that the delivery Wolfe was there to collect had nothing to do with fish!" Hagan snarled.

"What you believe is irrelevant to me and inadmissible in court, Lieutenant Hagan. So either charge my client with something or let him go," Ken said.

As the two men squared off against one another the door opened and a smartly dressed man walked in. Hagan saluted the newcomer and glared at Ken.

"Chief Kenyon," he said. "What brings you into HQ so late in the evening?"

"As a matter of fact I'm here to speak to Mr. Duquesne here," the Chief explained. "When I heard Mr Caine's lawyer was here I thought I should come down and see if I could do anything to expedite matters. Mr Caine is, after all, a respected member of the community and a prominent businessman and we are here to serve the people, Lieutenant Hagan. Now, Mr. Duquesne, perhaps I can be of some assistance?"

"I surely do hope so, Chief Kenyan, and may I say how pleased I am, and how pleased I'm sure my employer will be, to have the cooperation of such an important man in sorting out this minor difficulty. It seems Mr. Wolfe, one of Mr. Caine's employees, got caught up in an illegal liquor raid this evening. There is no evidence of my client having been involved in any kind of wrongdoing – or of wrongdoing of any kind taking place for that matter – but the Lieutenant here seems reluctant to release my client or to actually charge him with anything," Ken explained.

"Lieutenant," the Chief began. "Do you have any evidence that Mr. Wolfe was engaged in criminal behaviour?"

"Well unfortunately, another of Mr. Caine's employees absconded with the liquor, but I have a reliable informant with considerable knowledge of how Mr. Caine's racket operates …" the Lieutenant began.

"Do you have evidence that Mr. Caine was involved or are you trying to get the department sued for slander by dragging a prominent citizen's reputation through the mud?" the Chief interrupted. "And who exactly is this so-called informant – some ex-employee with a grudge no doubt. Or maybe he works for one of Mr. Caine's rivals?"

"I can't prove it yet," Hagan admitted. "But everyone knows Caine is running illegal booze and I'm not going to compromise my informant by telling you his name in front of Mr. Caine's lawyer!"

"If the informant isn't willing to come forward, then how reliable can he be?" the Chief argued. "No, I must insist you release Mr. Wolfe and if I hear of you pursuing this ridiculous vendetta any further I will have to consider taking formal action against you."

"But, Chief …" Hagan argued.

"No, Lieutenant Hagan, that was an order. Let Mr Wolfe leave with his lawyer," the Chief insisted.

"Yes, Chief," Hagan grated, storming out of his office and towards the cells. "Officer, release Wolfe into his lawyer's custody and get them the hell out of my sight!"

_Eric's Boat_

Eric steered the boat out into international waters and dropped anchor.

"We'll stay out here for an hour or two, give the cops time to clear the area and then head back in. I'll dock in a different slip and we can head home," he said. "So, what do you want to do for the next couple of hours, H?"

"Eric, my friend, you have a one track mind!" Horatio complained. "I'm worried about Ryan and Tim."

"So am I! Well, Speed anyway," Eric admitted. "I don't know the new guy well enough to care. Do you think he's the one who ratted us out?"

"No, Ryan's a good kid. A little bit of an over-achiever at times, but his heart's in the right place," Horatio said. "I can't work out where the leak could have come from. I know neither you nor Speed talked and Calleigh has that inscrutable Southern Belle thing she does when she doesn't want you to know something. No one else knew where and when we were going to meet you."

"It wouldn't have been all that difficult to work it out though. I always use that slip if I can because it's fairly isolated. So it's just the question of when. Who was there when you headed out tonight, H?" Eric asked. "Someone could have seen you leave and called the cops then."

"Just the three of us, Calleigh and Alexx, oh and Ray, Jr. was just leaving. He spent the day with us," Horatio listed.

"Who picked the boy up?" Eric asked. "Yelina or Ray?"

"She didn't come in, but I assume Yelina," Horatio said. "She knows I won't let Ray drive him anywhere – not after he left the boy alone in the car for three hours last year so he could find himself a new supply of heroin."

"But she didn't come in so you couldn't swear it was her?" Eric asked sharply.

"You think Ray was the leak?" Horatio asked. "He's family, he wouldn't do that."

"The man left his kid alone for three hours to get a fix. Any one of your enemies could have grabbed the boy in that time. I don't think family means all that much to him, H," Eric argued. "As long as he gets his next fix he doesn't care what he has to do or who he has to hurt. Hell, the man'll cheat on his wife with anything in a skirt. What makes you think he wouldn't sell out his brother if there was something in it for him?"

_In a dark alleyway somewhere in Miami_

The cop walked into the alleyway cautiously, trying to peer into the shadows to see if he was alone. He startled suddenly when a voice came out of the shadows just beside him.

"Officer Myers. Turn around slowly and don't make any sudden moves," the voice said. The policeman did as he was told, making sure to keep his hands as far away from his weapon as possible. "Good. Although for future reference you might want to remember that stopping in the entrance to an alleyway just lets the light from the street outside silhouette you beautifully, making you a very easy target to hit. Now I already know you were the one who brought the information about Caine's meeting tonight to Lieutenant Hagan. What I don't know is where you got the information in the first place and that's making me frustrated. When I get frustrated I tend to get violent. So perhaps you would consider answering a few questions and in return I'll let you walk out of here with your kneecaps still in place. Is it a deal, Officer?"

The cop nodded rapidly, "Sure. Whatever you say mister. I'm just a beat cop though, I don't know nothing!"

"Sure you do, Officer. You know where you got your information from, don't you? You tell me that and I'll let you leave. You forget we ever had this conversation and I'll forget about that little waitress you meet at Kreegan's motel once a week. See how that works? And in future I'd stay away from Caine's operation if I didn't want to come home one evening and find my lovely little home burnt to the ground, understand me?" the voice continued.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I'm sorry. I just thought Hagan's so keen on bringing down Caine and this might make me look good. I didn't mean no harm. I got a tip to meet this guy down on the waterfront and he told me about Caine's arrangement with that Cuban boy and he said he'd call next time Caine was going to meet him so we could catch him in the act. I didn't get a name, I swear, but I paid him cash and I followed him when he left. He spent the money on drugs," the cop said.

A gun clicked in the darkness. The sound echoing around the alleyway. "You're not convincing me, Officer," the voice said. "I'm still feeling frustrated."

"No! No, please, I swear he didn't give me his name," the Officer pleaded.

The gunshot sounded incredibly loud in the stillness of the alleyway, but no passers by came running to see what was going down. In this part of the town they'd learned not to. The cop fell to the ground, clutching his leg and screaming in pain. The gun clicked again.

"All right, all right," the Officer yelled. "He didn't give me his name, but his dealer did. Said it was Raymond Caine, your boss's kid brother. Now, please just let me go!" For a couple of moments silence reigned. "Hello? Are you still there?" he called, but there was no answer. His interrogator had climbed over the wall and fled.

_Caine Residence_

Eric and Horatio walked into the main room to find Speedle, Calleigh, Ryan and Alexx sitting around a table looking worried. Horatio immediately noticed the sling that Alexx had insisted Speedle wear.

"Tim? You're hurt?" he asked.

"Just a graze," Speedle reassured. "I'm fine."

Horatio looked at Alexx and raised an eyebrow. "He's telling the truth for once," Alexx said with a grin. "It'll be fine as long as he doesn't use it too much."

"Don't believe me!" Speedle grumbled. "You know I am old enough to take care of myself."

"Of course he has reopened it once already this evening," Ryan added. "Climbing over a fence, would you believe?"

"And what happened to you?" Horatio asked. "You look like you went ten rounds with Dempsey!"

"Slight disagreement with the cops is all," Ryan said. "They thought it was amusing that you guys sailed off and left me there. So I punched one of them. His friends took exception. It's not a problem. Mr. Duquesne got me released anyway. We do have a bigger problem though."

"We have a leak, H," Speedle said. "And we think we know who it is. You might want to sit down. Calleigh get the man a drink."

"Raymond," Eric growled. "I knew it!"

"You don't know that!" Horatio shouted.

"I do," Speedle said heavily.

"What! No, there is no way Raymond is that stupid!" Horatio denied.

"Think about what you just said, Horatio," Calleigh said gently. "He's a drug addict – that on its own proves he's stupid."

"He gave you up to a beat officer in return for money for drugs," Speedle said. "He was so stupid he let the cop follow him straight back to his dealer, who gave him up without a second thought. I spoke to the cop and then I confirmed it with the dealer. Ray's our leak, H. I'm sorry."

Horatio let out a wordless cry of pain and anger and hit the wall. Lumps of plaster fell onto the carpet, breaking the stunned silence that had fallen over the room. Eric wrapped his arms around Horatio's waist from behind and gently pulled him away from the wall and towards the couch. He eased him down into it and sat on the arm next to him. Speedle came and sat on the other side of him and rubbed his back.

"Not one word, Ryan," Calleigh hissed in the direction of the stunned young man.

"Let me look at your hand, Horatio," Alexx said, gently taking his arm and examining his knuckles. She flexed the fingers slightly as Horatio sat there, staring blankly ahead of him. He didn't even react as she manipulated the injured joints. "I don't think you broke anything, sugar, but I want you to put some ice on it. Will you do that for me, Horatio?"

Calleigh signalled to Ryan and they left the room quietly. Alexx followed them after admonishing her other boys to look after Horatio.

"Come on, H," Speedle said. "Nothing we can do about this now. Why don't we go to bed? Eric will get some ice and we'll take care of that for you. I'm not going to say you'll feel better in the morning, because we all know that's a lie, but sitting here worrying about it won't help."

Speedle led his friend and lover up to the main bedroom, while Eric raided the kitchen for some ice. Horatio just stood there, still lost in thought, as Speedle removed his jacket and loosened his tie. It was only when Speedle began unbuttoning his shirt, that Horatio really became aware of his surroundings.

"Speed?" He asked softly.

"It's okay baby," Speedle reassured him. "Eric and I are going to look after you. You don't have to think about anything or worry about anything until tomorrow."

"You take very good care of me, Speed," Horatio said. He took Speedle's face in his hands and gently kissed him. Just then Eric came in. He locked the door behind him and walked over to his two lovers. He pressed up against Horatio's back and kissed his neck.

"Sit down on the bed, Horatio," Eric directed. "And let me take care of that hand for you." He pressed the ice against the bruised knuckles and wrapped his handkerchief tightly around it. Then he knelt on the floor in front of Horatio and leaned in for his own kiss. When the two of them eventually came up for air they were confronted by the irresistible sight of a naked Speedle.

Speedle finished removing Horatio's shirt and then undid his belt. With a wicked smile he pushed Horatio back onto the bed and then very, very slowly undid Horatio's pants. Stroking the tips of his fingers over the bulge in Horatio's underwear he took his time teasing the older man until he began moaning and begging for Speedle to do something. While he was doing this, Eric rapidly removed his own clothing. He stretched out next to Horatio on the bed and began running his hands over Horatio's sensitive chest and abdomen. Horatio raised his hips off the bed trying to get closer to Speedle's teasing fingers.

"Please touch me," he begged.

"But I am touching you, baby" Speedle said.

"Please. Please just do something, anything," Horatio moaned. He reached out blindly and tangled his fingers in Speedle's unruly hair. His other arm he wrapped around Eric's back. Speedle pulled off Horatio's pants continued stroking his cock. He moved his other hand between Horatio's legs to start teasing his balls through the flimsy material of his underwear. Meanwhile Eric bent over Horatio and started to explore his chest with his lips and tongue. When he licked across one of the dusky nipples Horatio's grip tightened and Eric was pulled closer to that wonderful chest. He laughed softly and began to suckle on it. He closed his teeth around it and bit down hard. When he did so, Horatio bucked up one more time towards Speedle's questing fingertips and came with an inarticulate cry.

Speedle stripped the now damp underwear off the relaxed man and dropped it on the floor with the rest of Horatio's clothing. Sliding down the bed he replaced his fingertips with his warm mouth. He began to lick Horatio's come from his softening cock. With one hand he intertwined his fingertips with Horatio's, pinning Horatio's hand to the sheets so that he couldn't touch anything without Speedle's permission. With his other he held Horatio flat on the bed. On Horatio's other side Eric copied Speedle's actions. Now that Horatio was held immobile between the two younger men he was helpless to participate in his own seduction.

Once Eric and Speedle were satisfied that not a single drop of Horatio's essence remained on his body, they rolled him onto his stomach. Cool, slick fingers began probing Horatio's ass. When Speedle was convinced that Horatio was loose enough to take him he urged the older man up on all fours. Eric moved around so that he was kneeling in front of Horatio. Speedle entered Horatio in one swift movement. Horatio moaned at the intrusion and when he did so Eric thrust his own hard, dripping cock into his mouth.

"Oh yeah, that's it, baby," Eric said. "I love the feel of your hot mouth on me. I want to watch you suck me as Speed rides you." Horatio moaned around Eric's cock, the vibrations causing Eric to thrust forward harder, burying his cock deep in Horatio's throat. "You love hearing me tell you what to do don't you, baby? It gets you hard doesn't it?"

Speedle began thrusting harder and more erratically, practically trying to crawl inside Horatio's skin. He reached around and began jerking Horatio off roughly. Eric pulled out of Horatio's mouth and gripped the base of his cock tightly to stop himself from coming. Speedle panted harshly and thrust forward one more time, filling Horatio with his seed. Horatio screamed and came, collapsing onto his face. Speedle eased out of Horatio's ass and flopped backwards onto the bed breathing heavily. Not even giving Horatio a chance to catch his breath, Eric moved behind him and thrust into his still twitching opening. Horatio barely had the energy to raise his hips off of the bedspread in reaction to Eric's movements.

"Take me, Eric," he moaned. "Want to forget everything but you and Speed." Eric reached around him and began stroking his still sensitive cock. It twitched in his hand and slowly began filling again. Horatio groaned and thrust backwards impaling himself on Eric's cock. Speedle climbed over the two of them and replaced Eric's hand with his mouth. Between the two of them they brought Horatio to hardness once again.

"That's it, Horatio," Eric said. "I want you to come for us again. Need you to come so that I can. God can't hold on much longer." Speedle relaxed his throat until he had taken all of Horatio's cock in. He swallowed around it and then began to hum tunelessly. Horatio jerked and Speedle's mouth filled with hot salty liquid. The contractions of Horatio's ass around his cock were all it took to drive Eric over the edge. He screamed his release and the three men collapsed into a sweaty heap on the sheets.

_An empty warehouse on the waterfront_

Eric dragged the struggling man into the warehouse where Speedle was waiting and forced him on to his knees. Ray tried to escape and the Cuban kicked him in the kidneys, causing him to sag in Eric's grip.

"Horatio won't let you do this," he gasped. "He's my brother."

"It's a pity you didn't remember that before you went to the police, Raymond," Horatio said, striding purposefully into the room. "Or were you too out of your mind to care?"

"I didn't, I swear," Ray said. "They're lying to you. They've never liked me."

"Well apparently that makes them better judges of character than I am, because I was stupid enough to trust you," Horatio snarled. "There's no point denying it. I know exactly what you did and why you did it. How much heroin did your thirty pieces of silver buy you, anyway?"

"It's not like that. I didn't mean anyone to get hurt," Ray swore, glancing guiltily at Speedle's bandaged arm. "You could always bribe your way out of it and the only thing that would suffer would be your business."

"My business," Horatio said. "My business, which puts a roof over your head. My business, which feeds and clothes your family. My business, which pays Ray Jr.'s school fees. That business you mean? I take care of you. I take care of your family. I've given you everything you have, why would you do this, Raymond?"

"Because I'm sick of you and I'm sick of the way you're always right and I'm sick of the way you always feel the need to clean up after me!" Ray yelled.

"Well, if you took some responsibility for yourself and didn't screw up so damn often I wouldn't have to," Horatio yelled back. "You disgust me. Take him to the boat."

Speedle and Eric dragged Ray along the deserted wharf and on to the boat.

"No, please, don't do this to me," he begged. "Look I have money, hidden away. Just let me go and you can have it."

Speedle casually backhanded him across the face and dragged him into the cabin of Eric's boat. He pulled him over to the far wall and handcuffed his left wrist. Then he slipped the handcuffs through a metal ring in the ceiling and locked them on to Ray's other wrist. Ray had to go up on his toes in order to be able to reach the floor because the ring was so high and the cuffs cut sharply into his wrists.

"That should hold you for now," Speedle told the crying prisoner. "And for the record I don't believe a single thing that comes out of that lying mouth of yours, so don't even bother trying to talk your way out of this. We'd get rid of anyone who betrayed us like this, but since your defection hurt H so badly, Eric and I are really going to enjoy this. Now don't go anywhere, will you?" He smiled coldly at Ray before rejoining Eric on deck.

Once the boat was far enough away from Miami that they could be certain no one would overhear them, Eric and Speedle returned to the cabin. Eric pulled a knife from his boot and clinically and efficiently cut off Ray's clothing. He smiled at the terrified man and began tracing patterns on Ray's body with the point of the knife, pressing just hard enough to leave a thin red line behind him, but not enough to do any real damage. The knife felt like it was leaving a trail of fire behind it as it moved across Ray's chest and abdomen and along the tender underside of his arms.

"What are you going to do to me?" Ray asked fearfully.

"Well, first we're going to hurt you. A lot," Speedle explained. "Then we're going to cut off your balls and cut out your lying tongue. Then if we're feeling generous we'll put a bullet in your brain and leave your worthless corpse for the cops to find. You don't want to know what we're going to do if we're not feeling generous."

Ray began crying and begging, but Speedle simply hit him again. "Be quiet. I'm not interested in anything you have to say and your whining is just going to annoy me." Eric slipped the knife back into his boot and punched Ray in the stomach. Ray gasped, struggling to breathe and hung loosely in the cuffs. Just as he got his breath back, Speedle hit him. Speedle watched as Ray gasped for breath, desperately trying to drag air into his lungs. Eric leant against the wall and pulled two cigarettes from a pack on the desk. Putting them both in his mouth he lit them and then casually passed one to Speedle. Eric took a long drag on his.

"Pathetic isn't he?" he asked.

"I know you both bend over for my brother," Ray gasped out. "I think you're getting off on this, you fucking faggots."

"Are we?" Speedle said casually. "What are you planning on doing about it? Are you going to offer to go down on us, maybe? Perhaps you'd even be willing to bend over for us, let us fuck you if we said we'd let you go? Is that right?"

A spark of hope lit in Ray's desperate eyes. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "Yes, I'll let you fuck me, just don't kill me, please!"

"Sorry, Ray," Speedle said, smirking. "There's only one Caine I'm interested in and it's not you. You're beneath me." He took another drag on his cigarette and then ground it into Ray's groin.

Ray screamed in agony, but Speedle just dropped the remains of his cigarette into an ashtray without even batting an eyelid. Eric and Speedle continued to take turns hitting him until he stopped struggling. Eric checked the prisoner's pulse to make sure he was still alive.

"Just unconscious," he said. "Didn't think we'd done enough to kill him. Let's spin him around while he's out." He reached up and freed one of Ray's wrists. With Speedle's help he turned him to face the wall and then chained him up again. Then they sat back to wait for him to wake up.

Ray opened his eyes to see the cabin wall right in front of him and began to struggle again. He heard a sharp crack and felt a wave of pain explode along his back. Turning his head he saw the Cuban was smiling and wielding a whip. Eric cracked the whip expertly leaving a red mark across Ray's back, exactly parallel with the first one. He continued until there were ten lines running diagonally across his back, the first one starting at his shoulder and the last one finishing on the opposite hip. Then Eric walked to his other side, changed hands and began again. By the time he put the whip down Ray was sobbing uncontrollably.

"He's starting to bore me, babe," Eric said. "We should just finish him off and go home."

Even though he was still conscious Ray allowed the men to turn him around again, hanging limply in their arms. It wasn't until Speedle picked up a pair of bolt cutters that Ray began to struggle again.

"Well I guess he does remember what we said we were going to do to him," Speedle said. "Do you want to do it or should I?"

"You do it," Eric said, as calmly as if they were discussing whose turn it was to do the washing up. "But let me get a sheet or something to put down first. Blood tends to soak in to wooden floors and it's a bitch to get clean." He opened a cupboard and pulled out a large cloth, which he laid on the floor under Ray's feet. Ray was begging and pleading again as Speedle approached him. Eric put a hand on his chest and held him against the wall.

"Just so you know, Ray. This is going to hurt like hell," Eric said. Speedle opened the cutters and slid them under Ray's cock, which seemed to be trying to shrink back inside his body. He grasped one of Ray's testicles and snapped the cutters shut. Ray screamed and then passed out again. Eric walked over to the stove and pulled out a poker, which had been resting on the hot embers.

"Don't want him to bleed to death before we're done," he said and pressed the white hot metal against the bloody wound. The burning sensation brought Ray round again and Speedle smiled at him cruelly before sliding the cutters further across and snapping them closed again.

When Ray came around the next time Eric was stood in front of him and Speedle was leaning casually against the wall. Eric raised the pliers he was holding so that Ray could see them. Despite the tears of pain he was still crying, Ray clamped his jaw shut and shook his head desperately.

"I don't think he wants to cooperate, Eric," Speedle said. "Do you want some help?" He walked over to Ray and held his head firmly in place. With his other hand he pinched Ray's nose close. When Ray eventually had to open his mouth to breath Eric thrust the pliers in and clamped them tight on the tip of Ray's tongue. He pulled hard and Ray screamed with pain and then started to choke as his mouth filled with blood. Speedle reached up and unlocked the cuffs. Ray collapsed to the floor at his feet. Speedle took a step backwards and pulled out his gun. He fired two quick shots and Ray slumped to the ground.

The body was dumped just outside of town and an anonymous tip called in to the police. Two days after that, a package arrived for Lieutenant Hagan. When he opened it a pink lump of flesh fell onto his desk at the precinct along with a note which simple read "Learn"

_Miami Waterfront_

Horatio left the warehouse knowing that that was the last time he would ever see his brother. In his head he was already planning the funeral. The funeral would be large and would show the respect due to the much-loved younger brother of a popular and successful community leader. Horatio would grieve for the loss of the little boy he protected from the neighbourhood bullies and try to forget the man that that little boy had grown into. At the edge of the commercial district Ryan was waiting with Calleigh's car to drive him to Yelina's home. His sister-in-law deserved to hear of her husband's death from a family member, not from the neighbourhood gossips. After the funeral, he would move Yelina and Ray Jr. into his home so that the boy would not have to grow up without a father. Horatio's boys would be more than happy to provide plenty of father figures and older brothers. Men that young Ray could look up to. Men who would ensure the Ray grew up to be a man his mother could be proud of rather than turning out like his father.

Ryan dropped Horatio off outside Yelina's and then drove back to the docks to arrange for Horatio's car to be towed to a garage where Eric could work on it. After a few moments Yelina opened the door. She looked surprised to see him, but stepped backwards to let him in.

"Senor Caine," she greeted him cautiously.

"Yelina, I'm your brother-in-law, I think you can call me by my first name, don't you?" Horatio said gently. Other than seeing her when she picked up or dropped off Ray Jr. he had never spent much time with the young woman his brother had married. "I need to talk to you, Yelina. Where is my nephew?"

Yelina showed Horatio in to the front parlour. "He is at baseball practice, Sen … Horatio."

"Good. I need to talk to you first, but don't let me interrupt whatever you were doing," he said.

"I was only cooking, Horatio. It can wait," Yelina insisted.

"Nonsense. Despite what the girls seem to believe, I do know my way around a kitchen. We can talk there just as well as in here," Horatio said striding past her and towards where he remembered the kitchen being. He didn't like what he was seeing here, the overly polite and timid woman Yelina seemed to have become. From what he remembered of her before the wedding she had been quite the firebrand, much more like his Calleigh.

Yelina hurried after him and as she passed him something caught his eye in the brighter light of the kitchen... He caught her arm and tenderly turned her face so he could see the black eye she was trying to conceal with make up.

"Yelina, did Raymond do this to you?" he asked stonily.

"It is nothing," she denied, ducking her head so that her hair fell across her face. "Honestly, senor, I was just clumsy."

"Look at me, Yelina," Horatio commanded. "It is not nothing and you are not clumsy. No one has the right to do this to you and the young woman I met ten years ago would not have allowed any man to strike her. I am sorry I couldn't protect you from him and I am sorry you didn't know that you could come to me for help."

"And what would you have done if I had come to you and said I was going to leave my husband?" Yelina said defiantly, looking him in the eye for the first time. Horatio was pleased that Ray didn't seem to have crushed her spirit completely.

"I would have found you somewhere else to live. Preferably in my home and I would have made sure that he couldn't hurt you again," Horatio told her. "I don't know what Raymond said I would do but you and Ray Jr. are family and I protect my family – even when I have to protect them from each other."

"He told me that if I left I would lose my child, but I believe you, Senor Caine," she said. "I think you are a good man. My Raymond is not."

"No," Horatio admitted. "He was not. He was weak."

Yelina looked at Horatio for a moment and then turned away. "He is not coming home, is he?"

"No, Yelina," Horatio said. "He's not. In a few hours the police will find his body on the outskirts of town. He was shot this morning."

"You say they have not found the body and yet you know how he died," she said. "What stupid thing did he do this time?"

"He sold information to the police so that he could buy his drugs," he said. "He left me no choice."

Yelina turned to look at him again, not hiding the tears running down her face. "He may have killed whatever I felt for him, but he was still my husband, Horatio. What will become of me now?"

Horatio pulled her gently into his arms. "He was your husband and my brother. We will grieve for him and then we will move on. You and Ray will have a home with me for as long as you want it. If you do not wish to live in my home I will find you something close by. You are my family and a Caine should always protect his own. Let me take care of you, Yelina."

"Si, Horatio. I will live under your roof and you will teach my son to be a man such as you are and not as his father was," Yelina promised.

 

_Caine Residence, a few weeks later_

Alexx was almost out of the house when Horatio grabbed her

"You will have something to eat before you go and then I will drive you there myself," Horatio said. "No, Alexx," he continued, holding up a hand to forestall her protests. "The clinic can wait half an hour while you get some food and coffee inside you. If I give you a lift over there in the Lincoln you won't arrive much later than you would by leaving now and walking and won't faint halfway through the morning, which I'm sure your patients will appreciate. You've been running yourself ragged for the last two weeks. We've all been watching you and hoping you'd come to your senses but if you won't take care of yourself then we're going to have to do it for you."

"It's just so hard, Horatio," Alexx complained, allowing him to lead her towards the dining room. "Every day I have more patients than the day before and all of them are children. They're just so sick and no matter what I do they get sicker. A lot of them were already weak when they got ill and they don't have the strength to fight it."

"You can only do so much, Alexx," Horatio told her. "You're working miracles as it is. You haven't lost a patient yet and that's a tribute to your hard work, but even if some of them do die, it won't be your fault. Children die of measles all the time and poor children die more often. Without you many more would die in this neighbourhood, you need to concentrate on your successes."

Horatio pulled a chair out for her and Eric put a plate of food in front of her. Calleigh poured her a cup of coffee and Speed passed her the cream and sugar.

"You're all teaming up on me?" she asked.

"If that's what it takes," Yelina told her firmly. "You will not be able to help your patients if you are exhausted. We can't make you get a good night's sleep, but we can make sure you don't starve yourself."

"All right, I can see when I'm out numbered," she admitted. "If Horatio is driving me to the clinic what are the rest of you doing today? I could always use another pair of hands."

"I'm going out in the boat," Eric said. "Some of our shipments have been disappearing and Calleigh's going to have to start serving near beer soon if I don't bring in another delivery."

"I have a meeting with a couple of judges," Speed explained. "I need to remind them that when they took our money they were supposed to be providing a service in return and they've been failing to do so in recent days. I just know that Hagan is behind it, too. Ryan's got some contacts he's going to be hitting up, see if he can find out what Hagan's next grand plan is."

"Yelina? Do you want to come and give us a hand at the clinic?" Alexx asked. "I'll warn you now we work our volunteers hard – even H will be expected to roll up his sleeves and pitch in."

"Yes, I will help," Yelina said. "You should have asked before. I am not a nurse, but I am a mother there is much I could do to help and I do not like being idle. Horatio will not let me help around the house and Senora Terry won't let anyone else in her kitchen."

Horatio laughed, "I bet she lets Ray Jr. spend time down there. I practically grew up in the kitchen. She just doesn't like anyone else in her territory." He slung an arm around Alexx and Yelina's shoulders, "Let's get going. It's going to be a long day."

 

_Caine Free Clinic_

Horatio pulled the Lincoln into the alleyway just beyond Alexx's clinic and the three of them got out. He whistled at two young boys sitting on the curb.

"This is my car, boys. I want it still to be here when we come out, not a scratch on it, you understand me?" he called.

"Yes, Mr. Caine," they chorused. Horatio tossed them each a coin and followed the ladies into the clinic.

There were already a dozen patients in the waiting room when they got there and every bed in the small ward was full. A nurse latched on to Alexx as soon as she arrived and started giving her patient stats. Yelina was given an apron and a mop and told to help clean the ward. Horatio soon had his sleeves rolled up as he helped separate those of the new patients who were seriously ill from those who could wait. Everyone knew who he was and he had a knack of putting them at ease and soothing their fears. If Horatio Caine told them something then that was how it would be. They all had an amazing amount of faith in his abilities and he did his best not to disappoint them.

Alexx slipped out from behind the curtains surrounding one of the beds with a thoughtful look on her face. She made a beeline for Horatio and practically dragged him into her office.

"Do you know a woman named Susie Keaton?" she hissed.

"I don't think so," Horatio answered. "Should I?"

"Damn it all, was it really necessary for him to screw over every single person in his life?" Alexx swore.

"What's the matter?" Horatio asked, concernedly.

"Miss. Keaton is in the main ward with her five year old daughter Madison, who is very sick with the measles," Alexx explained. "You only need to take one look at the child to know she's got Caine blood in her and if you've never met her then it can only mean...."

"That Susie was one of Ray's women," Horatio finished with a heavy heart. "I need to talk to them. Can you keep Yelina busy until I know what's happening? She doesn't need any more problems in her life, but if Madison is Ray's then she and her mother are family and I can't just abandon them."

Horatio strode across the foyer and through the curtains. A little redheaded girl was curled up in the bed while a blonde woman sat by her side holding her hand. She looked up and the blood drained from her face. Horatio smiled at her reassuringly. He crouched down by the bed.

"Hello," he said softly. "I'm Horatio. What's your name?"

"Madison," she said shyly.

He stroked her forehead gently, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm hot," she said, pouting. "And my head hurts."

"Well, Dr. Alexx is going to make you all better," he promised. "But for right now I need to borrow your mom. Would that be all right, Madison? I promise we'll be right outside."

Madison nodded slowly. "You promise you'll stay close?"

"I promise, Madison," Horatio said seriously. "If you want your mom, you just need to call and she'll be right here." He inclined his head towards the curtain. "Miss. Keaton."

He firmly escorted the young blonde into Alexx' office and shut the door. She looked nervous but she folded her arms across her chest and glared right back at him.

"I have no idea who you are, but that little girl must be my niece, because God knows no one could ever deny she's a Caine," he stated. "So why the hell is she in a free clinic instead of a hospital?"

"No!" Susie shouted. "She's not a Caine, she's my daughter and her name is Keaton. Please don't tell Raymond where we are. She needs medicine so badly, but I can't let him find us again. Please, please just forget you saw us."

Horatio tilted his head and looked at her. He realised that the woman, practically a girl, in front of him wasn't trying to keep her daughter from the Caines out of some sense of spite or misguided pride; she was genuinely terrified of his brother. He remembered Yelina's black eye and timid manner when he told her of Ray's death. Was that really only a week ago? Yelina had once been a strong and confident woman and would hopefully become one again now that she was free of Ray, but the girl in front of him looked like she'd always been vulnerable. How much more damage would Ray have been able to do to such an easy target? She seemed so frightened for her daughter. He growled deep in his throat, if Ray had hurt that child then Speedle and Eric had let him die far too easily. Susie flinched when he growled and he forced his emotions back under control.

"Listen to me, Susie," he said gently. "Can I call you Susie? Raymond is dead. He can't hurt you or Madison any more, I promise. Please let me help you."

"He's really gone?" she asked hopefully. "We're safe now?"

"Yes, Susie," Horatio assured her. "You're safe. Why don't you let me take you both home with me? Alexx can keep a closer eye on Madison and get her to a hospital if she gets worse."

"No," Susie denied. "We will stay here. Dr. Alexx can take care of her here and if she needs a hospital I will let you arrange it, but we're not going anywhere with you."

Horatio sighed, but didn't press the issue. If staying here made Susie feel safer then they could stay for now. Besides this way he had a chance to talk to Yelina before introducing the two women and that wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

Horatio waited until Susie was back by Madison's bed before approaching Yelina. He told her he needed to talk to her and led her into Alexx's office, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

"Is it me or am I spending far too much time talking to different women in here today?" he wondered under his breath.

"What did you say, Horatio?" Yelina asked, puzzled.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Just talking to myself. You might want to sit down, Yelina. I need to tell you something and I need you to promise not to fly off the handle and do anything rash."

"What did he do now?" Yelina asked resignedly. "That is the tone of voice everyone uses when they find something else my Raymond screwed up."

"Our Raymond," Horatio said. "You don't have to take responsibility for his actions Yelina."

"Neither do you," she argued. "He was a grown man and capable of making decisions for himself, even if they were usually the wrong ones."

Horatio inclined his head and smiled at his sister-in-law. "So people keep telling me. It doesn't seem to sink in unfortunately. I don't know any way of breaking this to you gently so I will just tell you. There is a young woman in the ward over there who was apparently one of Raymond's mistresses."

"One of his mistresses?" Yelina queried loudly.

Horatio winced, "I didn't exactly mean it that way. She has a daughter who is very sick and they are both very frightened of Raymond. Susie, the young woman, didn't know Raymond was dead until I told her. I need you to not blame her for Raymond's sins, Yelina, because she is already scared enough and I am afraid that she might run away and her little girl might get worse if she does."

"She slept with my husband," Yelina spat. "She is a worthless tramp."

"She's as much a victim of Raymond as you were Yelina," Horatio insisted. "I'm not asking you to become her best friend, just try to be civil. Her daughter is innocent in all of this and she is Ray Jr.'s half-sister whether we like it or not. She deserves to know her family, Yelina."

"I do not know, Horatio," she said. "How can I look at her and not hate her for what she did?"

"Try. Please, Yelina," Horatio asked. "Perhaps if you met little Madison, saw how sick she is, I know you would want to help her."

"The little girl, how old is she?" Yelina asked.

"Five I think," Horatio said.

"So she knew Raymond for at least six years," Yelina mused. "He was already addicted by then, why would she stay with him?"

"I don't know," Horatio said. "Why don't you ask her? I know she must have left him on at least one occasion because she said she and Madison have been hiding from him. She isn't like you Yelina, you are a strong woman. I think Susie is very fragile, but she was still willing to lie to me about Madison if it would keep her safe from Raymond. Perhaps, over time, you could try and help her? It can't be easy for her to be a single woman with a child and do you really think Raymond would have given her money that he could have been spending on drugs?"

Yelina glared at him. "I hate it when you insist on being so reasonable. She sounds …" Yelina sighed. "She sounds like a woman I could like under other circumstances. Very well, I will try; if only for the sake of that little girl."

_Caine Residence. Three weeks later._

Horatio was sat in his office trying to talk some sense into his team.

"If we keep ignoring him eventually Hagan will give up and look for another target," he explained patiently. "I don't want to get into a war with the cops. Something like that ends badly for everyone and besides it's not good for business."

"Well that's great in theory, H," Eric argued. "But we've lost five shipments of booze this month and my guys don't want to take the risks any longer. I'm having to pay them more and more to cover the loss of boats and equipment. Not to mention I have to make more and more of the trips myself. We can't operate like this much longer."

"I've been raided twice," Calleigh reminded him. "It's already not good for business."

Speed stood silently beside Horatio. They'd already had this argument in private and H knew his second in command agreed with the others, but that he wouldn't say so in front of them.

"People are starting to get hurt, Horatio," Alexx put in. "At the minute it's just bruises and grazes from fights, but how long before it becomes knife and bullet wounds?"

"It won't get that far," Horatio reassured her. "Hagan is an ass but he's not stupid enough to cross that line, besides I don't want to start anything too big until the kids feel more comfortable around here. Yelina, Susie, Ray and Madison have had enough disruption in their lives. I don't think they'd thank us for causing any more. The welfare of my family comes first, Alexx."

The door burst open and Yelina and Susie stormed in, for once not glaring at one another, but seemingly united in a common cause.

"Find that bastard and hurt him," Susie shouted.

"I want to see his balls on a plate," Yelina hissed.

"Of all the low down, despicable…" Susie started.

"Arrogant, unforgivable things to do," Yelina finished for her.

"Ladies," Horatio said firmly. "Calm down and tell me what the hell you are talking about." He held his hand up as they both opened their mouths again. "One at a time. Susie?"

"He threatened my daughter, Horatio," she said, on the verge of tears now that her anger had left her.

"Yelina?" Horatio asked, confused.

"It was Hagan," she said. "He threatened Madison and hurt my Ray. You find him and you stop him or I will."

 

_St. Peter's Private School. Earlier that afternoon._

 

Madison was waiting for her mother to come and pick her up. Her new best friend had already left so she was waiting alone and amusing herself with her skipping rope. Suddenly a hand reached out and grabbed the rope as she whirled it over her head.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Madison Keaton, or should I say Caine? The new little Caine bastard," the man said. Madison didn't know who this stranger was and tried to back away but he held tight to her rope and she didn't want to lose it.

"The one thing I haven't managed to find out is which one was your father – tell me was it that murdering bastard Horatio, you did know he had his own brother killed? Or maybe it was the brother – pathetic drug addict that he was?" the stranger continued.

"Hey," Ray yelled. Madison spun around to see her new 'brother' standing right behind her. He had his hands on his hips and his head tilted slightly to one side as he glared at the large man threatening his kid sister. "Leave her alone, you jerk. You don't know anything about my family."

"I know your doting uncle had your father killed," he sneered.

"And I know you're an asshole and my uncle is going to kick your ass," Ray yelled back.

"You pushy little brat," the man spat, reaching out and shoving Ray hard so that he fell over. Madison started crying and knelt down beside him.

"Leave them alone," Yelina yelled as she and Susie ran towards their children and the jerk threatening them.

Hagan raised his hat mockingly to the women and strolled away.

_Caine Residence_

Horatio growled low in his throat. Only a few weeks ago one or both of his brother's women would have flinched away from the sound, now they were looking on approvingly. He immediately took control and began biting out orders.

"Speed, I want a guard on Yelina, Susie, Ray Jr. and Madison whenever they're out of the house, put a guard on Alexx's clinic and Calleigh's bar too. Ryan, talk to all of our judges and cops again and make it clear that if they're not with us one hundred percent, then as far as we're concerned they're with Hagan. Eric, go and visit Lieutenant Hagan and make sure he understands that this is his final warning. If he crosses the line again, if he so much as breathes wrong, I'm going to take him down."

 

_Lieutenant Hagan's Home. Later that night._

The only light on in the house was the hall light, which Hagan habitually left on in the evenings. He let himself in and headed for the lounge and his first scotch of the night. As he opened the door he heard the familiar clicking sound of a weapon cocking.

"Don't move, Hagan," a familiar Hispanic sounding voice said. "I want you where I can see you and don't be making any sudden moves. I'm not supposed to kill you. Yet. And the boss gets irritable when people don't follow his orders."

"Standing in the darkness isn't going to help you, you pathetic bastard. I recognize your voice Delko," Hagan snarled.

Eric laughed. "I should hope so, Hagan. I like people to know who'll be coming after them if they step out of line. You screwed up big time today, threatening those children. Horatio's too scary for you so you have to go after someone less than half your size and his kid sister, is that it?"

"Please," Hagan scoffed. "You're trying to make out Caine actually cares about the kids? The man has ice water in his veins; he even took his own brother out."

"Final warning, Hagan. Stay out of Horatio's business or you'll go the same way Ray did," Eric laughed again. "And I promise, we'll make you last much longer than poor Raymond did." He fired a shot just past Hagan's head, causing the larger man to duck. When he stood up again, Eric had gone.

_Two days later. Outside a speakeasy near the waterfront._

Eric had just finished the last of his deliveries for the night. He was getting back into his truck when he heard a noise behind him. He half turned to see what it was and saw the truck door swinging towards him at high speed. He tried to put a hand up but wasn't fast enough and it hit him full in the face, knocking him unconscious.

When he came to he was being held against a wall in an alleyway somewhere. He didn't recognize the thugs holding him, but standing in front of him was Lieutenant Hagan.

"I thought you might be able to take a message to Caine for me," Hagan said with a nasty smile.

Eric snarled and spat at him. "Go to Hell, Hagan, and take your two bit thugs with you." He tried to pull away but the men held him firmly in place.

Hagan laughed and without warning swung the lead pipe he was holding, hitting Eric in the stomach. He sagged, the grip the men had on his wrists the only thing holding him up as he struggled for breath.

"Not so cocky now, are you Delko," Hagan laughed. He swung the bar again and again. Eric was pretty certain he felt nothing break but he was already one big bruise and he could barely manage to force enough air in to his lungs to keep himself conscious. Hagan swung one last time, this time aiming for Eric's knee. Despite his best efforts Eric cried out as his leg buckled beneath him. He saw Hagan toss something to one of the thugs.

"Cuff him," Hagan said evilly. "This scumbag is Caine's boy toy, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you two gentlemen had a little fun before you send him back."

 

_Caine Residence._

The telephone rang shrilly and Yelina rushed to answer it.

"Caine Residence," she said formally. "Can I help you?"

"This is Mike. I'm the bar keep at 'The Seven Stars'," a man's voice said. "I need to talk to Mr. Caine. It's about one of his boys."

"One moment, I'll find him," Yelina said worriedly. Eric should have been home nearly half an hour ago, she hoped that he hadn't been picked up by the cops. She knocked on Horatio's study door and went in. "Horatio, there is a man on the phone for you. I think something happened to Eric."

Horatio almost ran out of the room. It wasn't that it was unusual for Eric to be running late on this sort of job, but he had a bad feeling about this.

"Caine," he snapped into the phone. "Talk to me."

"Mr. Caine," Michael said. "Your boy delivered my stuff twenty minutes ago, but his truck is still outside and the door is open. I had a look around but he's not there. I thought you should know."

"Damn it," Horatio cursed. "All right, thank you, Michael. I'll look into it." He hung up and then called for Speedle and Ryan. "Ryan get the car, Speed you're with us. Eric's been grabbed. Alexx, get your stuff ready just in case."

 

_A dark alleyway_

Eric struggled fiercely as the thugs spun him around and shoved him face first against the wall. One of them was tugging at his belt and try as he might he couldn't dislodge him with his hands cuffed behind his back. He made it as difficult as he could but between the two of them they pulled his pants and underwear down around his knees. He couldn't even try and make a break for it because even assuming he managed to get loose his knee wouldn't hold his weight. He began yelling and cursing at them at the top of his voice; then he heard one of them unzipping his pants. His blood ran cold at the thought of what the two of them were intending to do to him and then he heard the most wonderful sound in the world.

"Let him go, now!" Horatio shouted from the end of the alleyway. He, Speed and Ryan piled into the guys holding Eric and dragged them away from him. Horatio hit the first man in the face, breaking his nose and then knocked him to the ground. Ryan was handling his thug efficiently too, so Speed knelt by Eric's side. He quickly redressed him and picked the lock on the cuffs.

"Eric," he said softly. "Are you all right? They didn't …" He gestured vaguely, not even able to say the words.

"No," Eric denied vehemently. "You got here in time, thank God." He tried to sit up and winced.

"H, we don't have time for you two to dance with these guys," Speed snapped. "We need to get Eric back to Alexx."

Horatio looked up from where he had been systematically beating the man on the floor in front of him. He pulled his gun and signalled to Ryan to do the same. They both fired, putting a bullet into the head of each of the men who had dared to touch Delko.

"Can you two get him to the car?" Ryan asked, receiving a nod from Speedle in reply. "All right I'll get her started then." He ran back to the car and by the time Speedle and Horatio had carefully loaded Eric into the back he was ready to leave.

_Caine Residence_

Eric was laid carefully in the middle of the bed with his knee propped up on a mound of pillows. After Alexx had taped his ribs and strapped his knee, Speed had helped him to undress while Horatio raided the kitchen for something for him to eat. According to Alexx he had a black eye, or he would in a day or so when it developed, a split lip, bruised ribs, a sprained knee and multiple cuts and abrasions, but nothing was broken and she was fairly certain he hadn't sustained any internal injuries.

Calleigh had hugged him gently and cried over him before driving Ryan back to the bar so he could pick up the truck. Horatio and Speedle had been fussing over him since they got home and Eric had to admit he was enjoying it, but he didn't want to ruin the rest of their evening and he knew he would be in the way.

"Look, guys," he said. "The pampering is great, honestly, but there's no need for you to hang around. I'm sure you've got better things to do than stay here with me. I have everything I need within reach and if I need anything I'll holler."

Horatio looked at him suspiciously, "Are you saying you don't want us to stay with you or are you saying what you think we want to hear, because I can't think of anything I have to do which is more important than making sure you're all right."

"That's nice, H," Eric said. "But there's no reason for you to stay, it's not like I'm up to doing anything." He gestured at his knee.

Speed glared at him. "So you think the only reason we keep you around is the great sex?"

"That wasn't what I meant," Eric denied. "I just …" He shrugged. "I thought you two might want to enjoy yourselves and since I can't join in you'd want to go somewhere else."

Horatio sat on the bed next to him. He cradled the least injured side of Eric's face in his hand. "If we ever made you feel that that was the only reason we're here, then I'm sorry."

Eric looked down, "It's not like that. It's just I know you and Speed go way back and anyone can see there's a bond between you and sometimes I wonder why I'm here."

Speedle sat down on the other side of the bed and gently kissed Eric's lips. "I'm so sorry, Eric. We didn't mean for you to feel left out. Let us show you how we feel about you and then when you're up and about again I promise one night you'll get to call all the shots and we'll both follow your instructions. I know how much you like to be in charge. Would you like that?" he whispered hoarsely. "Both of us kneeling at your feet, doing everything you say …"

Eric groaned. "Don't say things like that when I can't do anything about it," he grumbled, but he couldn't keep the smile from his face. It seemed he had underestimated the way these men felt about him and he'd never been so pleased to be wrong.

Horatio ran one hand gently down Eric's chest. "We can take care of you, if you want."

Eric moaned again, "H, I can't move, damn it."

"You don't have to," Speed told him. "Just lie there and let us do all the work." He leaned in and kissed Eric again, trying to avoid the part of his lip that was swollen, Horatio lapped at the base of his neck before sucking the area and marking Eric with a love bite.

"I am so sorry, Eric," he said. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me. When I ran into that alleyway and saw what they were doing to you…" He nestled into Eric's neck. "I should have been there earlier, never should have let you get hurt."

Eric pulled back from Speed's mouth; his eyes glazed and ran his hand through Horatio's hair. "Not your fault, H. You got there in time, that's the important thing." He pulled H up and kissed him firmly, disregarding the injuries to his face. "My hero," he said with a smile when the kiss ended.

Speed began lapping at one of Eric's nipples and Eric tangled his fingers in his hair, holding him in place. H smiled down at him.

"Tell us what you want, baby," he said.

Eric moaned and tried to get closer to both his lovers. "I want you inside me tonight, Horatio. Want you to remind me that I'm here and safe."

"Are you sure," Speed asked. "You don't do that very often and I don't want you to get hurt any more than you already are."

"Please," he begged. "You said I could have anything – that's what I want. Help me find a position I can lay in and I'll let you do all the work, but I need that tonight."

"Hush," Horatio comforted him. "If that's what you want we'll find a way to make it work." He and Speed worked their way along Eric's battered body, trying to avoid the bruises as much as they could. When they got to his leaking cock Speed took it in his mouth while Horatio slid further down to lap at his balls. Eric gasped and moaned, wanting to thrust but knowing how much pain he would be in if he tried. Neither man was in the mood to deny him anything tonight though and they didn't tease him. Speedle slid all the way down Eric's cock until he had the whole thing in his mouth and throat, swallowing around it before sliding back up. When the head slipped from his lips Horatio took over. The two of them took turns until Eric groaned and grabbed Horatio's hair, holding him in place as he spilled his seed in the older man's hot mouth. When he finally relaxed again Horatio pulled back, licking his lips and Eric moaned again.

"Oh God, H, so fucking sexy," he said.

Standing up Horatio stripped slowly, enjoying the way the young Cuban's eyes tracked his every move. He pulled Speed to his feet and teasingly removed his clothing too, running his hands over each patch of bare skin as it was revealed and making him gasp and moan. A hoarse groan from the bed made him turn his attention to their audience again. Eric was breathing heavily and his eyes were black with desire.

Stalking towards the bed again, Horatio smiled wickedly. "I have an idea how we can get this to work, Eric," he said. "Just relax and let us move you." They rolled him carefully on to his stomach, sliding a pillow under his hips and another under his leg and knee to support the injured limb. He was now in the perfect position for them to be able to make love to him without causing any more damage.

Speed grabbed a bottle of oil and he and Horatio began to massage Eric's back, moving slowly and following their hands with their mouths, exploring every inch of skin until Eric was moaning and sighing with pleasure again. When they got to his ass, Speed grasped the cheeks and spread them while Horatio ran his tongue along the newly revealed flesh. He laved Eric's entrance thoroughly with his tongue before slipping the tip of it past the muscle and into his body. Eric sobbed with pleasure and begged for more as Horatio thoroughly fucked him with his tongue.

Eventually he pulled back and Speed slipped an oil-slicked finger into the opening. Eric gasped and then relaxed around it, allowing Speed to penetrate deeper and graze his prostate. Soon Speedle added another finger and then a third before turning his attention to Horatio and coating his hard cock before guiding it to Eric's entrance. Horatio pushed inside slowly. He rarely did this, usually being the one on the receiving end, but he loved the way Eric's body welcomed him in and then gripped him tightly as if to keep him there. He began to ride his lover very gently, not heeding Eric's pleas to move harder and faster. The younger man was too badly hurt to take that no matter what he said he wanted. Horatio slowly built to a climax, reaching under Eric's body to stroke him in time with his thrusts. Soon Eric cried out and Horatio felt his hand being coated in a warm wetness. A couple of strokes later he reached his own completion. He was careful not to collapse on his lover for fear of harming him and slowly pulled out before rolling to one side.

Despite having just come, Eric wanted to feel his other lover taking him too and he pleaded with Speedle to take Horatio's place. Speed was reluctant but Eric was so sincere in what he wanted that he could not refuse him and so he slid in to the warm wet depths that Horatio had just abandoned. After watching one of his lovers take the other one he was on edge and could not last long. Eric didn't care though. He knew it was unlikely he would come again, especially after the stress of the day. He just wanted to feel that connection with both of his lovers.

Speed took him as carefully as Horatio had, leaving him feeling loved as well as satiated. When he too pulled out he rolled to the other side and helped Eric back on to his back. Once he was comfortable his lovers curled up on either side of him – as if protecting him from danger. They were both careful not to hurt him but needed this contact so Speed rested his head on Eric's shoulder while Horatio gently rested an arm across his abdomen. Surrounded by his lovers Eric drifted into a peaceful sleep and, after a few more moments, the other men followed him.

 

_Meanwhile, en route to pick up Eric's truck._

Ryan slammed his hand into the side of the car. "I can't believe that bastard," he ranted. "It's bad enough that he'd grab anyone, but you know he grabbed Eric specifically because of the rumours about him and H. This isn't business; it's personal. He deliberately picked someone to hurt Horatio and you didn't see what those guys were going to do to him. Shit, Calleigh, if we hadn't got there in time, you know?"

"I know, Ryan," Calleigh said. "But you have to let it go. The boss won't let him get away with this. Trust me."

"I just, argh," he yelled in frustration. "I mean, don't get me wrong, when he's in work mode Eric scares the crap out of me, you know?" Calleigh nodded and grinned, well aware of her friend's darker side. "But the rest of the time he's such a nice guy and he and Speed are good for the boss. H relaxes around them and I saw how they were after Ray's … well just after Ray. It's plain wrong that someone like Hagan would take advantage of that."

Calleigh leaned over and kissed him on the cheek when they stopped. "You're one of the good guys, Ryan," she told him. "A lot of people would freak out if they found out their boss was like that, let alone knowing he's sharing his bed with two other men."

Ryan shrugged. "I'm not interested in his sex life, really not interested," he added at the gleam in Calleigh's eye. "And if they make him easier to work with for the rest of us then I'm all for it. What?" he asked suspiciously when Calleigh continued to look at him.

"Oh come on, Ryan," she teased. "Aren't you even the slightest bit curious? I mean haven't you ever wondered ..."

"No!" he yelped. "I haven't. I do not want to know - you're a freak, Calleigh, you know that, right?"

She giggled and gestured to the pick-up. "Go on, get going. I'll follow you home, just in case." He got out and headed for the truck, shaking his head as he went.

Calleigh giggled again and waited for him to pull out before following him. About halfway home he swerved across the road and parked the truck. He leapt out, leaving the door open and the engine running. Calleigh swore as she saw Hagan strolling along the sidewalk. Ryan pounced him and shoved him into a wall, getting in his face and yelling at him. The door to the building behind him opened, a crowd of men spilled out and suddenly Ryan was in the middle of an all out brawl. She grabbed her shotgun, but before she could do anything a gunshot rang out from the middle of the fight.

"No!" she cried out, firing over the heads of the men. "Get lost all of you. Now!" The men looked at her shotgun and the determined glare on her face and melted away. Hagan waved before he disappeared. Ryan separated himself from the shadows around the building and staggered towards her, holding his stomach. When the light from the streetlamp fell on him she could see that his shirt was stained red and his hand was bloody. He half-fell half-climbed into the seat next to her and she floored the accelerator.

Glancing over at Ryan, who was slumped in the passenger seat, she gently touched his arm and he looked up at her from eyes glazed with pain.

"Just hold on for me, Ryan," she begged. "I'm going to get you home and Alexx will fix you right up. I promise." He blinked at her and tried to speak, but then he doubled over on a wave of pain as the truck bounced over a rough patch of road. "It's all right, Ryan," she insisted. "You don't have to say anything. Just concentrate on staying with me now." She leaned on the horn when the car in front of her slowed down and pulled around him, cursing at the driver under her breath. She pulled into a side street and then into the yard. Hitting the horn again to wake everyone up, she jumped out and ran around to the other side of the truck. Ryan practically fell into her arms when she opened the door and she staggered under his weight.

"Someone help me," she screamed.

Lights started going on all over the house and the back door was wrenched open. It seemed like hours for Calleigh but in reality it was only a few minutes before Speed was lifting Ryan from her arms and carrying him up to Alexx's surgery, with Alexx barking orders like a drill sergeant. Horatio pulled Calleigh to her feet and led her into the house. Once inside she started shaking and with a muttered curse Horatio scooped her up and carried her into his study.

"Ray," he called. "Can you make some tea for Calleigh? Hot and sweet, please. I don't want to call Terry when she's helping Alexx."

The boy nodded seriously, "Yes Uncle Horatio. Can I do anything else?"

"Not right now," H said. "You're a good boy, Ray." He sat on the couch and pulled Calleigh into his arms, rubbing her back gently. "Everything's going to be all right Calleigh. He's in good hands now. Can you tell me what happened?"

Calleigh sniffed and looked up at him from watery blue eyes. "We saw Hagan and Ryan pulled over to confront him. It was stupid, but he seemed to be alone and Ryan was really angry because of what happened to Eric and he jumped him," her voice speeded up and she started running her words together as she continued. "Hagan fought back and then all these guys, cops I think, came out of the building and there was a fight and I tried to warn them off with my shotgun but I wasn't fast enough and there was a gunshot and I screamed at them and they ran and then," she gasped and started crying again. "There was all this blood and … and Ryan and …" Her voice trailed off and she started crying hard, barely even able to breathe through the force of the tears. Horatio pulled her closer and stroked her back.

"It's OK, Calleigh, everything's all right now," he soothed. "You did good, kid. You got him home to Alexx. He'll be all right now." Horatio looked up to see Speed standing in the doorway. He raised an eyebrow in a mute question and Speed nodded. Kneeling in front of the couch Speed coaxed Calleigh into taking the tea.

"I met Ray in the hall, sent him to help his mom and Terry," he explained. "Alexx says Ryan should be fine as long as there's no infection. He's a strong kid. Lost a lot of blood but the bullet didn't hit anything vital and she's sewing him up now. Yelina and Terry are preparing a room for him to recuperate in, near Alexx."

Calleigh sipped the tea, her tears dying down a little now.

"I want him gone," Horatio said. "I don't care how, but I want him dead and I want everyone to know what happens when someone tries to take down any of my men. Do it tomorrow, Speed. He's hurt too many people to be allowed to continue."

Speed nodded. "I'll take him at home. He lives alone and Eric can tell me how to get in and out. I haven't forgotten what his boys were going to do to Eric. I'll need someone to drive us out to the boat."

"I'll do it," Calleigh said, her voice stronger than it had been all evening.

"Calleigh, I don't think …" Horatio started.

"No," she said fiercely. "He hurt Eric and he damn near killed Ryan. I want in on this." She pulled away from Horatio and looked him in the eye. "Don't you dare leave me out of this just because I'm a woman!"

Horatio looked back implacably and then he nodded curtly. "All right. You can back Speed up, but you follow his lead."

"What about me?" Eric said from the doorway. He was supporting himself on the frame, his eyes shadowed from lack of sleep and his face bruised, but he looked as determined as Calleigh.

"Eric," Horatio said. "You can't even stand on your own. Your ribs are in no state for you to do anything strenuous and Alexx is going to lose it when she finds you're out of bed. How can you possibly expect to be in on this?"

"I want to be there," Eric insisted. "I want him to see me when we take him down. I want to be the one to make sure he learns that no one messes with the Caines and then I want to watch him die. I promise I'll let Speed do all the work, but I need to be there."

Horatio threw up his hands in surrender. "I don't know why I ever thought I was in charge around here! Fine you can go, but Calleigh drives and Speed does all the work. If I find out you've done anything to make your injuries worse it won't be Alexx you need to worry about, are we clear on that?"

"Yes, Horatio," Eric said.

"Sure thing, boss," Speed echoed with a grin.

"Whatever you say, H," Calleigh added.

"Children, the lot of you," Horatio grumbled. "Cheeky brats at that. Come on, Speed. Help me get this idiot back to bed. And you're going to bed as soon as you've finished that drink, Calleigh. I want you to get a good night's sleep or you don't go anywhere tomorrow."

_Lieutenant Hagan's home. The next morning_

Hagan awoke suddenly as a cloth was pressed over his nose and mouth. He struggled briefly, clawing at the hand holding it in place and then went limp.

'Well that was easier than I expected,' Speed thought. He half carried, half dragged Hagan through the house and out of the back door to where Calleigh and Eric were waiting with the truck. He tossed Hagan in the back and tied his hands and feet, before covering him with a tarp and jumping in the front with the others.

"I think we have about an hour before he comes around," he told them. "I want to be out at sea by the time he does. He's not the coward Ray was and he'll try and fight back." He rolled his shoulders a couple of times. "And he could do with losing a few pounds, too. I hope I'm going to get a back rub to make up for having to drag his heavy butt around on my own."

Speed dragged Hagan onto the boat, with some help from Calleigh. Together they stripped him and chained him to the wall.

"Do we have to have him naked?" Calleigh asked, wrinkling her nose. "I mean eww. Look at him!"

Speed muffled a laugh. "I'd rather not, thanks all the same. And yes he has to be naked. I'm going to go and take the helm and send Eric back before he hurts himself and Alexx strings us all up. If he wakes up before Eric gets back, feel free to insult him and laugh at him, but don't touch him."

Eric limped into the room, a scowl on his face at the thought of someone else at the helm of his beloved boat, just as Hagan started to come around. Calleigh pointed to the armchair and he reluctantly sat down.

"Apparently we're not allowed to play with him until Speed gets back down here," she complained. "I don't think he wants to miss the fun."

Hagan groaned and tugged at the shackles. "You can't kill me," he sneered. "I'm cop. You'll never get away with it."

"Big words for a naked man, chained to a wall, on a boat in the middle of the ocean," Eric mocked. "No one saw us take you and no one will ever find your body. They may know we killed you, but they won't be able to prove it."

Hagan yanked harder at his chains. "Let me go you little fag. You're not enough of a man to face me without the chains. You don't have the balls."

Calleigh walked into his line of sight and looked him over disdainfully. "The advantage of not having balls is that you don't always have to think with them. Why would Eric want to get into some kind of macho pissing contest to decide who's the better man? He's here to watch you die and you're chained to a wall – I think it's already clear who lost that contest."

She heard a chuckle from behind her as Speed walked into the room. "We're in international waters. We'll be fine here for a while. Now what should we do with this rat first?"

Calleigh pulled a baseball bat from behind the sofa. "After what he did to Eric, this seems appropriate," she said calmly. She handed it to Speed and he walked towards Hagan with an evil smile on his face.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he said, before swinging the bat and hitting Hagan hard in the stomach and driving the air from his lungs. He worked Hagan over thoroughly until his shirt was clinging to him and he was breathing heavily. He turned away as if finished and then turned back. "Oh yes," he said coldly. "I nearly forgot." Swinging the bat hard and fast he smashed it into Hagan's left knee. The cop screamed in agony and Speed smirked at him. "Nobody messes with the Caines, bastard."

"Do you want to help?" he asked Calleigh, laughing when she immediately jumped to her feet.

"Hell yes. What can I do?" she asked.

"I never realised you had quite such a vicious streak," Eric commented. "I like it." He stood up and kissed her hair fraternally. "How about I show you how to use one of my favourite toys since I'm not allowed to play myself."

"Eric," Speed warned.

"I'm not going to overdo it," Eric promised. "Calleigh will do all the work. I'll just show her what to do."

"Getting a woman to do your work for you now," Hagan gasped scornfully.

"Help me turn him around," Speed said, completely ignoring him. "He needs to be facing the wall for this." He supported most of Hagan's weight as Calleigh unfastened the chains from the ceiling. When they tried turning him around he began to struggle, hampered by his knee injury, but aided by the fact that Speed was in no position to restrain him. Calleigh raised her knee sharply and he yelped.

"You can't run a bar if you don't know how to handle obnoxious men," she said disdainfully.

"Why have we never asked Calleigh for help before?" Eric wondered. "All right," he continued, handing her the whip. "Hold it at your side and bring it across your body." He moved her into position and stepped back, aware that if he had to explain whip marks to Alexx she might never let him out of the house again.

Calleigh swung the whip and jumped as it landed across Hagan's back with a crack. "Like that?" she asked.

"Swing it a little more confidently," Eric directed. He moved in behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and adjusted her grasp on the whip. "Hold it like this and swing it like you mean it." He moved back to the couch again and sat down next to Speed.

Once she got into the rhythm Calleigh found it wasn't as difficult as it looked and settled down to vent some of her fear and anger from the previous night on Hagan. Eventually Speed ducked under the whip as she swung it and grabbed her arm.

"Enough, Calleigh," he said gently, pulling her into a tight hug. "He's paying, Calleigh. He's paying for everything, I promise." Carefully, he eased the whip from her hand and wiped away her tears. "All right now?" he asked softly. "Then help me turn him around again. It's my turn to play."

Hagan hung passively from the restraints, no longer fighting them, simply allowing them to position him wherever and however they wanted him. He seemed to have given up, to have simply surrendered to his fate. There was no possibility of escape and he no longer had the energy to try. Speed frowned. If they'd broken him so easily then continuing the torture would be almost pointless.

Grabbing his favourite toy Speed fired it up ad watched as Hagan tensed all over. One of the things Speed loved most about playing with fire was the effect it always had on his victims, especially so with the blowtorch. He slowly moved so that he was in Hagan's line of sight and watched as the larger man paled.

"No," he whimpered. "Please. Not that."

Speed smiled slowly and walked towards him, moving the flame close enough to Hagan's face that he could feel the heat and laughed as he cringed away from it. "Now, where should I start?" he mused.

He slowly moved the flame closer and closer and traced a path down his neck and across his chest. Hagan screamed until his throat was raw, but Speed continued, almost obliviously, drawing patterns in fire over Hagan's body until he was satisfied. He leaned close to Hagan and murmured, "I think we're almost done here. If you hadn't done what you did to Eric it would all be over by now, but we've got something special in store. Just for you. Don't go anywhere now."

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know?" he asked. "When did the two of you have time to plan anything?"

Calleigh looked confused. "Don't look at me, I'm as in the dark as you are."

Speed walked over and dropped a kiss on Eric's forehead. "This is just something H and I planned last night after you were asleep. He said I was to make sure Hagan knew that it was from him."

He unchained Hagan and dragged him over to the table. Hagan was sobbing and struggling weakly against Speed's grip. He tossed the cop onto the table, ignoring his howl of pain as his burns came into contact with the hard surface. Grabbing the baseball bat again he walked around so that he could look into Hagan's eyes. He slid the bat under his chin and raised his head off the table.

"I want to hear what you told your thugs to do to, Eric," he demanded.

"Go to hell," Hagan gasped.

Speed raised the bat and slammed it into the table mere inches from Hagan's head. "Tell me," he repeated.

"I told them to have fun," Hagan said, trying to manage a sneer, but his fear and pain showing through clearly. "Everyone knows he's Caine's boy, he'd probably have enjoyed it."

Speed backhanded him and tossed the bat to Eric. "Well it's only fair that he gets to have some 'fun' with you. Since you're hardly the type to inspire lust though, he'll have to improvise somewhat."

"You fucking pervert," Hagan shouted weakly. Speed pinned him in place as he struggled.

Eric ran the bat along one of Hagan's legs and laughed when he kicked out. "Oh, I am going to enjoy this." He rested one hand on Hagan's back to hold him down and forced the end of the bat into his body. Hagan screamed and tears began running down his face.

"Please, don't," he begged. "Please, anything but that."

Eric smiled coldly and kept pushing, forcing the bat in as deeply as he could. Then he pulled back so only the tip was inside and suddenly rammed it back in. Hagan screamed again and struggled weakly. It only took half a dozen strokes for his struggles to subside. He lay across the table, sobbing in pain, humiliation, and fear. Just when it felt like the burning pain and the mocking laughter would never end, Eric yanked the bat out.

"Enough," he said. "Time to get rid of the evidence."

The two of them tied Hagan tightly and then Calleigh helped Speed drag him up on to the deck. Eric tossed the bat into the water. Then they heaved Hagan's body over the side. The rope around him was tied to the back of the boat so they could drag him behind them.

Calleigh looked at the rope and asked, "Shouldn't we be letting him sink too?"

"Have to make sure he's dead first," Eric explained.

"Shark bait," Speed added grimly. He guided Calleigh away from the rail. "You shouldn't watch this." She glared at him, but in truth wasn't all that keen on the idea either.

"What happens afterwards?" she asked, trying to keep her mind off the sharks, which had always been one of her worst fears.

"We tie a weight to this end of the rope and unfasten it. The remains sink without a trace and if no one ever finds a body, they'll have trouble proving murder," Speed told her. "We can plant some evidence of corruption or a mistress in his house and they'll all assume he rode off into the sunset somewhere."

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Walk on the Wild Side](https://archiveofourown.org/works/80424) by [Joe_Reaves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joe_Reaves/pseuds/Joe_Reaves)




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